(Editors at Energy Analytics Institute, 6.Jan.2025) — Equinor said the Troll field in the North Sea produced more natural gas than ever before in 2024, while at the same time significantly reducing CO2 emissions.
The Troll field set a historic production record, delivering 42.5 billion standard cubic meters of gas in 2024, Equinor announced 6 Jan. 2025 in an official statement.
This is the highest annual production ever for the field, and is an increase of almost 10% from the previous record from 2022 (38.8 billion standard cubic meters).
“With record-high production in 2024, the Troll field confirms its position as a pillar of Europe’s energy security. The field contributes to a stable gas supply for millions of households and is important for European industry. This milestone is the result of decades of targeted work to recover the Troll oil and gas resources in an efficient and sustainable manner. It is rewarding to be able to deliver such significant volumes of gas when Europe needs it most,” Equinor’s executive vice president for Exploration & Production Norway Kjetil Hove said in the statement.
Troll field at a glance
Troll is the largest oil and gas field on the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS). The amount of energy generated by 42.5 billion standard cubic meters of gas is equivalent to about 3 times the Norwegian hydropower production in a normal year.
And, gas from Troll accounts for about 11% of the European Union’s total gas consumption.
Several discoveries of both oil and gas have been made in the area around Troll in recent years.
Troll A and the processing plant at Kollsnes have been electrified since the start-up in 1996. Gas on the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS) is locally sourced and has the industry’s lowest emissions from production and transport, Equinor said.
Licensees in Troll include Equinor, Petoro, Norske Shell, TotalEnergies and ConocoPhillips.
High regularity
The record production in 2024 was the result of high regularity, a year without turnarounds, as well as upgrades that have increased efficiency. Riser replacement on Troll B has also played an important role in maximizing production, Equinor said in the statement.
Since coming on stream in 1996, the Troll A platform has been the main contributor to gas production on the NCS. In 2021, production was expanded to also include the gas cap in the western part of the reservoir, facilitated by a major subsea development.
This expansion has been instrumental in increasing production, even 28 years after the start-up. The Troll B and C platforms also contribute significant quantities of gas that are transported via Troll A to Kollsnes.
During 2024, both the Troll B and C platforms were partially electrified. This enabled significant CO2 emission cuts for 2024. A preliminary estimate indicates that emissions have been reduced by approximately 90,000 tonnes in 2024, or 15% in 2024 alone.
Higher capacity
The gas processing plant at Kollsnes has undergone significant upgrades in recent years. Working closely with the operator Gassco, capacity has been increased from 144.5 million to 156 million standard cubic meters per day. This has been an important contribution to the production record.
“The efforts to recover more Troll gas and increased export capacity clearly help ensure that our customers in Europe get the energy security and long-term perspective they need,” Equinor’s senior vice president for gas and power trading Helge Haugane said in the statement.
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By Editors at Energy Analytics Institute. © 2025 Energy Analytics Institute (EAI). All Rights Reserved.
